Oil-can holder.



F. W. BUFFUM. OIL OAN HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.26. 1911. v 1,021,037. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

LOl-UMBIA YLANOGRAPH C0" WASHINGTON, P. C-

FRANK WASHBURN BUFFUM, OF LOUISIANA, MISSOURI.

OIL-CAN HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 25, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Serial No. 662,342.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK \V. Bi'irrmr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisiana, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oil- Can Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to oil-can holders.

One object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive oil-can holder that can be conveniently attached to an automobile.

Another object is to provide an oil-can holder that comprises few parts, and which is so designed that the oil-can can be removed or inserted easily.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view of an oil-can holder constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating a movable clamping j aw of slightly different form from that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a holder that is adapted to be connected to a horizontal supporting surface; and Fig. 6 is a side elevational view partly in vertical section on the line (36 of the holder shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1, 9. and 3 of the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention,.1 designates the base portion of the device on which the oil-can rests, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, and 2 and 3 designate jaws on said base portion that engage the oil-can and prevent it from moving relatively to the base portion 1, either ina vertical direction or laterally. The jaws 2 are stationary and are curved slightly, as shown in Fig. 1, so that they will conform approximately to the shape of the oil-can whose font or oil reservoir is substantially semi-spherical shape, as shown in Fig. 1. The jaw 3 is movable so that it can be moved into such a position that the oil-can can be moved out of engagement with the curved stationary jaws 2 and thuspermit the oil-can to be lifted out of the holder.

In the form of my invention herein shown, the movable jaw 3 is pivotally connected to lugs 4 on the base portion 1 of the holder, and is provided at its lower end with a laterally projecting arm 5 that extends underneatl'i the base portion 1 so as to cooperate with a flat. leaf spring 6 that is connected to the under side of the base portion 1. by means of a rivet, screw or other suitable fastening device 7 which passes through the spring (5 and through a boss 8 on the under side of the base portion 1, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. The free end of the spring 6 exerts downward pressure on the arm 5 and thus forces the movable aw 3 inwardly toward the oilcan. The base portion 1 of the device is provided with a slot or notch in its periphery in which the movable jaw 3 lies, and two lugs 4: project downwardly from the base portion 1 on either side of said notch so as to embrace the jaw 3 and thus guide it accurately, the jaw 3 being connected to said lugs by means of a pin 9 that passes transversely through said parts.

In the preferred form of my invention, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the movable jaw 3 is provided with a notch 3 for receiving the usual head at the lower edge of the font of the oil-can, and the upper end of said jaw is curved or flared outwardly at 3 so as to provide a cam surface which the lower edge of the font of the oil-can strikes against during the operation of inserting the oiLcan in the holder. By constructing the movable jaw 3 in this manner I overcome the necessity of manually movin said jaw into an inoperative position when the oil-can is inserted. and while I prefer-to form the movable jaw in this manner, I do not wish it to be understood that my invention is limited to this construction for, if desired, the holder can be provided with an inclined or movable jaw 13, as shown in Fig. which laps over the font of the oilcan in practically the same manner as the stationary jaws 2, said jaw 13 having a laterally projecting finger-piece let so as to enable the aw 13 to be moved outwardly or into an inoperative position when the oilcan is being removed or inserted.

The base portion 1 of the holder is preferably formed from cast metal, and the stationary jaws lugs 4t, and boss 8 are cast integral therewith, thereby enabling the holder to be manufactured cheaply as it consists of only three parts, namely, the base, the movable jaw 3, and the fiat leaf spring 6. The holder shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is adapted to be connected to a vertically disposed support, such, for example, as the dash of an automobile, and is provided with a vertically disposed attaching plate 10 that is integrally connected to the base portion 1, said attaching plat-e being provided with open-ended slots 11, as shown in Fig. 3, for receiving screws or other suitable fastening devices 12. If it is desired to use the holder on a flat supporting surface the attaching plate 10 is omitted, and the base portion 1 is provided on its under side with a plurality of perforated lugs or bosses 10 through which fastening devices 12 pass, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so as to secure the holder to the supporting structure on which it is mounted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An oil-can holder comprising a base portion provided with stationary jaws which are so formed that they lap over the lower edge portion of the oil font of the oil-can, a pivotally mounted jaw arranged in a slot in said base portion and mounted on a horizontally disposed pivot, a laterally projecting arm on the lower end of said pivotally mounted jaw that lies un derneath said base portion, and a leaf spring on the under side of said base portion that exerts downward pressure on said arm and thus forces said movable jaw into engagement with the lower edge portion of the font of the oil-can.

2. An oil-can holder comprising a base portion provided with stationary jaws, said base portion having a notch formed in the periphery thereof, lugs depending from the under side of said base portion on opposite sides of said notch, a movable jaw arranged in said notch and pivot-ally connected to said lugs by a horizontally disposed pivot,

' a laterally projecting arm on said movable jaw which extends under said base portion, and a leaf spring on the under side of said base portion that exerts downward pressure on said arm and thus holds the movable aw in engagement with the font of the oil-can.

3. An oil-can holder consisting of a cast metal base portion provided with integral jaws and having an integral boss and depending lugs on the under side of same, a movable jaw arranged in a slot or notch in the periphery of said base portion and pivotally connected to said lugs, a laterally projecting arm on said movable jaw, a leaf spring detachablyconnected to the boss on the under side of said base portion for exerting downward pressure on said arm, and a notch in said movable jaw for receiving a bead on the lower edge of the font of the oil-can, the upper end of said movable jaw being flared or curved outwardly.

1. An oil-can holder consisting of a cast metal base portion provided with integral jaws and having an integral boss and depending lugs on the under side of same, a movable jaw arranged in a slot or notch in the periphery of said base portion and pivotally connected to said lugs, a laterally projecting arm on said movable jaw, a leaf spring detachably connected to the boss on the under side of said base portion for exerting downward pressure on said arm, a notch in said movable jaw for receiving a bead on the lower edge of the font of the oil-can, the upper end of said movable jaw being flared or curved outwardly, and a vertically disposed attaching plate integrally connected to said base portion and provided with openings for receiving fastening devices that secure said plate to a supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 17th day of November, 1911.

FRANK NASI-IBURN BUFFUM.

Witnesses FRANCES BIBB, T. G. STARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

